You told us you wanted more sports access for children and adults countywide – while preserving open spaces. Today, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners and Sterling Ranch Development Company are announcing a partnership to do just that.
Douglas County and Sterling Ranch Development Company will partner with public entities and private industry to build a mega sports complex, called Zebulon, (named after Western Explorer Zebulon Pike) that includes spaces for basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball, football, soccer and hockey, while preserving more than 400 acres of open space in the area. Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to enter the partnership.
“This is such an exciting time. We are in the golden era of Douglas County where we can start moving on what our citizens want – a best-in-class regional sports facility paired with ongoing efforts to preserve open space,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon.
You will be invited to a Live Town Hall in April, to learn more about this and other parks and open space projects taking shape.
“Our voters and taxpayers have been waiting for us to take action and invest this voter-approved funding,” said Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle. “It’s time we start putting meat on the bones and working with our partners to bring our community’s vision to life.”
“Zebulon will be the catalyst that transforms an area of our county that was primarily industrial – even home to a former dynamite factory – into a regional draw for families and businesses,” said Commissioner George Teal.
This first phase of Zebulon is set to include an indoor sports complex with three ice rinks and basketball courts, a soccer complex and a baseball complex. With the partnership formalized, design is now underway on the first phase. View a rendering of the complex here.
As part of the project, a more than 200-acre wildlife corridor adjacent to Sterling Ranch and Louviers will be preserved. Building Zebulon in Sterling Ranch will also preserve 200 acres in Highlands Ranch that was previously dedicated to the Board of County Commissioners by the developers of Highlands Ranch. Instead, that land will be used for the Highlands Ranch Community Association to preserve as open space.
“Sterling Ranch Development Company is thankful to the Board to yet again be a regional partner to Douglas County. This project will attract new shopping, dining, recreation, and community gathering spaces that Sterling Ranch would not be able to support on its own at this time,” said Brock Smethills, President of Sterling Ranch Development Company.
Using voter-approved sales tax for Parks, Douglas County will partner with the Sterling Ranch Community Authority Board, Sterling Ranch Development Company, and KT development to deliver this project to Douglas County taxpayers in the most cost-efficient way possible. KT Development has 30 years of sports facility experience and most recently build the Sport Stable in Superior, Colorado and several other projects.
Additional funding will come for futures phases from Tax Increment Financing, a development tool that leverages an increase in the property tax revenue resulting from the new development.
For the Parks, Trails, Open Space and Historic Resources funding, the Board has also prioritized:
High Note Regional Park is a partnership project with the City of Lone Tree and South Suburban Parks and Recreation is an 80-acre park being developed along Happy Canyon Creek near I-25 and RidgeGate Parkway.
Wildcat Regional Park, which will preserve open space and critical wildlife corridors for the community in Highlands Ranch on 202 acres.
Additional funding is allocated to local municipalities for their priority projects including Burns Park.
About the Parks, Trails, Open Space and Historic Resources Fund
As required by state law, this fund accounts for revenues derived from the 0.17% sales and use tax initially approved by voters in November 1994 and most recently extended by voters in November 2022. Monies are designated for the acquisition, administration, planning, development and construction, operations, and maintenance of parks, trails, historic resources, and open space.
Consistent with the ballot measure, the Parks, Trails, Historic Resources & Open Space Fund must:
- Protect, maintain and add parks, trails, historic resources and open spaces, and wildlife habitats
- Buffers between communities
- Conserve lands along streams and lakes that also protect water quality
- Conserve working farms and ranches
- Preserve scenic views and landmarks
- Create and maintain recreational amenities
- Maintain and conserve historic preservation
Learn more on our Parks, Trail, Historic Resources and Open Space Fund webpage.